§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list by train operating company the number of occasions and the details of warnings issued by(a) OPRAF and (b) the Rail Regulator for not operating services to the levels specified in the passenger service requirement. [4445]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Franchising Director has proposed one draft enforcement order against a train operating company for a breach of the cancellation levels in the franchise agreement. The draft order published on 14 March against South West Trains, for poor330W performance in February and March, was withdrawn on 8 May following significant improvements in performance.
The Franchising Director issued a notice on 18 June about a breach by Island Line of its cancellation levels in March 1997. There will be no further action as the company is taking all necessary steps to secure future compliance.
The Rail Regulator is not responsible for enforcing compliance with passenger service requirements.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list by regional rail users committee the number of passenger complaints received for the last 12 months; [4510]
(2) if he will list by regional rail users committee the number of complaints relating to (i) punctuality, (ii) ticketing and (iii) other issues received over the last 12 months. [4511]
§ Ms JacksonThe most recent 12-month period for which details are available is the financial year 1996–97. The figures are as follows:
Public complaints received by the rail users' consultative committees and by the london regional passengers' committee 1 April 1996 auntil 31 march 1997 Committee Punctuality Fares and tickets1 Other complaints Annual total LRPC 288 208 1,881 2,377 RUCC for southern England 99 29 896 1,024 RUCC for western England 321 80 1,011 1,412 RUCC for Wales 194 39 829 1,062 RUCC for the Midlands 155 18 314 487 RUCC for eastern England 77 54 538 669 RUCC for north eastern England 105 33 659 797 RUCC for north western England 272 86 1,116 1,474 RUCC for Scotland 42 24 385 451 National total 1,553 571 7,629 9,753 1 Fares and tickets category includes ticket pricing levels and structure; Railcards, Railrover tickets and promotional offers; permited routes; acceptance of through tickets; and predatory fares/exclusionary behaviour.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list by the train operating company the number of occasions recorded by OPRAF of that company operating trains with fewer carriages than specified in the passenger service requirement. [4444]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThis information is not available in the form requested. A train is "short formed" if it operates with fewer seats than planned, whether or not the number of seats is specified in the passenger service requirement. Under their franchise agreements, operators face a penalty payment for every train short formed. Furthermore, a high level of short formations is liable to result in breach of the franchise agreement and enforcement action by the Franchising Director. There have been no material breaches of franchise agreements as a result of short formations; the performance payments of each operator will be published in the Franchising Director's annual report in the next few weeks.